Malted/Media RealTime Chat How Do I...?

Malted/Media RealTime Chat

How do I....?

...get to chat from America OnLine (AOL)?
...enable Java in my browser?
...log in?
...send a message?
...send a private chat message?
...get out of private chat?
...leave the chat room?
...contact a user?
...upload Midi files?
...get answers to other questions?

How do I get to chat from America OnLine?

It works very smoothly, but there are quite a few steps to follow, and you need to be very patient. Skipping steps or rushing ahead is guaranteed to induce hair loss. Print this page for reference as you go along! (The information below is for Windows users. Any Mac user with the information, please forward details: Contact Form):
1. You must be using AOL Version 3.0 (or later) for Windows 95. On your menu bar, click Help|About America Online. It must read "for Windows 95". No earlier or non-Windows95 version will do. If you do not have this version, request a version by mail, or use one of the ubiquitous CD-ROMs floating around. Make certain it says "For Windows, Windows 95, and Macintosh" on the label. If you prefer to download it, here is how to get it:
  - Sign on to AOL.
  - Click GoTo|Channels on the menu bar.
  - Click Member Services.
  - Click Software and Tools.
  - Click Download the Latest and Greatest AOL (or something similar).
  - Click Upgrade Now!
  - Click Accept in the Licensing and Export Restrictions window.
  - Click Download Now. Download will take about an hour.
  - In Windows Explorer, open the AOL$$\Download folder (where $$ is your version of AOL).
  - Double-click the setup.exe file (it may be also be called aolsetup.exe).
  - Install the new software, carefully following the lengthy instructions, and re-boot your system as requested.
    - If you get a DLL error with AOL after you re-boot, shoot yourself. Or better, go to the Microsoft site and install Microsoft Service Pack 1, and updates for OLE (1) and OLE (2), TCP/IP Security, Dialup Networking 1.2, Winsock, and the latest Kernel. Read all warnings and instructions carefully. If you're wary, ask for help.
  - Sign on to AOL again. If you used a CD-ROM to install the software, you will again have to wait as AOL downloads yet another new version of its browser with security controls ... another 30-minute download. I love AOL too! That's how I know about all this!
2. At this point, you probably want to use an external browser such as Netscape. Click here for more information.
3. Once your AOL Version 3.0 for Windows 95 is running and you are signed on, you must set browser preferences:
  - Click the menu bar's WWW button or use Keyword:WWW
  - Click the Prefs icon. You will be presented with a multiple-tabbed window.
    - Click the Security tab.
      - At the bottom, make sure Enable Java Programs is checked.
      - Click the Safety Level button to the right, and click the medium button.
    - Click the Advanced tab.
      - At the bottom, make sure Enable Java JIT compiler is unchecked.
      - In the Temporary Internet Files section of this tab, click the Settings button.
        
        Click Empty Folder.
        Answer Yes to the "Delete all files...?" question.
        Click OK.
    - Click OK to active the new browser settings.
  - Close the Browser (the WWW window).
  - Sign off and exit the America Online software.
  - Re-boot your system.
  - Re-start and sign on to AOL again.
4. Once your AOL and its browser are configured, go to the WebProject chat site again.
  - On the chat welcome page, click Now Go to Login!
  - Wait, wait, and wait. "Applet initialized" will appear at the bottom of the screen. Keep waiting. You will get a sign-on box in about 30 seconds. Don't do anything yet! Wait another 30 seconds! Then enter your name and email address, and click Connect.
  - Wait, wait, and wait. "Applet started" will seem to stick to the bottom of your browser window. Important note: The blue triangle will not be moving! -- but things are indeed loading.
  - You will eventually get to the chat screen. It may take as long as 3 minutes, but you will get there.
5. Congratulations. Welcome home!
6. Using an external browser with AOL is recommended, because the internal version has some problems with simultaneous Java and Midi. An external browser uses AOL as a gateway to the Internet, avoids a passel of hassles -- and is much faster.
  - Obtain the external browser from Netscape or Microsoft.
  - Sign off and exit AOL.
  - Install the external browser. Follow instructions carefully.
  - Re-boot your system.
  - Run AOL and sign on.
  - Run the external browser.
  - Enable Java in your external browser as explained here.
  - Every ten minutes, switch back to AOL and check your mail. This will prevent AOL from signing you off for inactivity. (AOL doesn't see browsing with an external browser as "activity"!)
  - You're done!

How do I enable Java in my browser?

Other browsers may require different sequences, but here are a few:
- Netscape 2: Options|Security Preferences|General, make sure "disable Java" and "disable Java script" are not checked.
- Netscape 3: Options|Network Preferences|Languages, click to enable Java
- Netscape 4: Edit|Preferences|Advanced, click to enable Java
- Internet Explorer 3: View|Options|Security, click to enable Java

How do I log in?

Click "Now Go to Login!" on the welcome page.

Type a nickname -- for our chats, use your real name or, if you're a group, something to remind chatters who you are:

Type your email address (see troubleshooting if you have log-in problems here):
The chat room applet will begin to load:
A new window will open with the chat room screen.
Connection info and a message of the day will appear in the chat screen.
A list of users will appear on the right (just you if you're the first). See troubleshooting if you don't get the message of the day.
- Click to the right of the chat screen.
- Find the name of the room you want, and click it. It will change color.
- Click . The chat screen will identify the room you're talking in.
You're there! (You can "minimize" the login screen now. You won't need it unless you need to log in again.)

How do I send a message?

There's a 200 character limit to your messages (see Read Me First).
- Type your message in the "input" box at the bottom of the chat screen:
- Press "Enter".
Your message should shortly appear in the chat screen. See troubleshooting if it doesn't appear in a few seconds -- longer if the chat is very busy.

How do I send a private chat message?

Avoid it if you can, because our chat should stay public, but if you must...
- Click to the right of the chat screen.
- Click the name of the user who will get your message.
- Click
A star will appear next to the name and the private chat button will change color.
- Type your message in the "input" box at the bottom of the chat screen:
- Press "Enter".
The message will appear on the chat screen as a private message to that person.

How do I get out of private chat?

Click to the right of the chat screen.

There will be a star next to the name of the person you're privately chatting with.
- Click the starred name to select it.
- Click again.
The star will disappear and the private chat button will return to its normal color.

How do I leave the chat room?

This is important to avoid having your browser's Java language system hang up!
- Click on the top left.

How do I contact a user?

Correct results depend on the user you want to reach. Assuming the user has correctly entered an email address...
- Click to the right of the chat screen.
- Click the user's name.
- Click
The user's email address will appear in the chat screen.

How do I upload Midi files?

You must email them. We don't have upload software (yet). Here's how:

Try to keep the file in General Midi format ... having the orchestration consistent really helps across various platforms.
Prepare an message with the subject "Midi for Chat", and paste it into this form.
In the text, include your name and the name of the piece.
Adding an attachment differs depending on your mail program. Make sure it's sent as an attachment, not in the text of the message. Though both ways work technically, sending it in the text is more work to decode, and means it probably won't get posted in the fray of a real-time chat! You can encode with MIME (AppleSimple on Macs, I believe) or BinHex.
Send the email.
In a private message, let the moderator know you've sent the file.

How do I get answers to other questions not listed here?

See Read Me First.
See Troubleshooting.
Contact your official Consortium technical consultant.

Introduction
Basic Chat Help
Helpful Suggestions
How do I....?
Troubleshooting
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